About BRICS Solutions for SDGs Awards 2021

United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call-for-action for all countries across 17 critical areas. Solutions for meeting Sustainable Development Goals are among the focus areas under India's presidency of BRICS.
 
Businesses have been critical in helping nations progress on SDGs. They have come up with innovative solutions and also play an active part in ensuring access to affordable, quality products and services on health, education, water and sanitation, energy, and finance, to low-income and under-served communities.

Across BRICS nations, digital solutions and innovations have facilitated the continuation of sustainable development agenda even in the backdrop of the pandemic. Digital solutions will be essential for driving economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability going ahead.

The BRICS Solutions for SDGs Awards 2021 will recognise initiatives working to achieve SDGs especially through innovative solutions across BRICS nations. The contest will help in the exchange of knowledge and best practices on innovative solutions. It will also foster greater collaboration amongst BRICS economies towards meeting the sustainable development agenda.

List of winners and runners-up across the seven award categories:
The recently concluded BRICS Solutions for SDGs Awards 2021 were conceived as a contest for BRICS country projects and solutions for improving quality of life. The awards recognise the work across BRICS countries in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovative projects and technology-based digital solutions.

 



Partners



Categories for Participation

The Awards will be given to deserving innovative solutions or projects under following categories -

ZERO HUNGER
(SDG 2)

GOOD HEALTH AND WELL BEING
(SDG 3)

QUALITY EDUCATION
(SDG 4)

GENDER EQUALITY
(SDG 5)

AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
(SDG 7)

CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
(SDG 6)

INNOVATION IN INDUSTRY AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (SDG 9)


Awards Process


Stage 1 : Launch

APR 19, 2021


Stage 2 : Outreach by National Chapters of BRICS Business Council

APR 19 – JUNE 15


Stage 3 : Registration

APR 19 – JUNE 30


Stage 4 : Round I - Shortlisting

JUNE 30 – JULY 15


Stage 5 : Assessment by International Jury

JULY 15 – AUG 15


Stage 6 : Announcement of Results

AUG (Tentative)

Participation and Evaluation Criteria

BRICS Solutions for SDGs Awards will be open to citizens and organizations of the BRICS countries. The nominations can be received from authors of solutions, projects or ideas, and/or persons/organisations who have deep knowledge about a solution, project or idea, and are able to perform mentoring functions in order to support its replication in other BRICS countries.



Criteria

The nominations can be received from individuals, corporations, not for profit organisations and for-profit social enterprises.

  • The initiative/intervention/solution should be at least 3 years old.
  • The initiative/intervention/solution may be initiated/ongoing/completed projects. In case of completed intervention, information should not be more than 5 years old.
  • Individual applicants need to be nominated by NGO or corporations.

International jury will be formed across award categories based on recommendations of National Chapters of the BRICS Business Council.



Assessment Framework

All applications will be evaluated basis the information presented about the project / solution in the application and with reference to the following criteria –

  • Relevance - Relevance of the intervention as per the geographic area.
  • Approach - Approach to the design of the intervention / project / solution.
  • Efficiency - Financial and non-financial resources deployed for the solution.
  • Sustainability - Solution is sustainable and demonstrates effectiveness & tangible impact.
  • Collaboration - Partnerships, strengthening and promoting community action.
  • Uniqueness and Scalability - The initiative / project / solution should be ‘innovative’, 'scalable,   'replicable' and ‘cost effective’.

Intervention / solution can be related to either product, program or service that has been able to create productive, sustainable, and safer ecosystem.




Assessment Stages

Stage I: Call for applications and short listing of applications based on the following criteria.

  • Applicants are required to fill as per the category; incorrect applications will be rejected.
  • Applications to be complete with all the relevant information and supporting documents; incomplete applications will be rejected.

Stage II: Applications will be sorted as per categories and desk assessment will be conducted as per assessment framework developed based on 6 indicators with total marks - 10X6 = 60

Stage III: Applications will again be short-listed, and the qualifying score would be 30 - may vary basis the quality of applications received.

  • Jury report is developed of the shortlisted applications and a score card is developed.
  • Report is shared with the Jury.
  • Jury discussion and recommendations for winners and runners-up (2) in each category